Controversial Hinterland cableway project to be buried if Labor forms government

THE controversial $100 million cableway project will be buried if Labor manages to form government.

SKYRAIL RAINFOREST CABLEWAY Cairns ATE feature

THE controversial $100 million cableway project will be buried if Labor manages to form government.

Gold Coast Skyride chairman Terry Jackman said the Springbrook project was dead without government support.

Labor MPs were virulently opposed to the cableway project and the LNP government failed to approve it before the election.

“I always believed the cableway would be a terrific addition to Gold Coast tourism — but it does require government approval,” Mr Jackman said.

“Principally, State Government approval.

“It is quite simple, if the government doesn’t want it we will not proceed but we need to wait to see who forms government.”

Gold Coast Skyride chairman Terry Jackman admits the Springbrook project is dead without government support.

Area councillor Glenn Tozer said Gold Coast Skyride was one of several high-profile projects unlikely to go ahead if Labor formed government.

“If the government does change, then it definitely could be in doubt along with other projects across the Coast,” he said.

“We will have to work out what the city priorities are in the context of the new government and what the likelihood is of seeing them funded.”

The ALP were strong critics of the cableway project when Mermaid Beach MP Ray Stevens revealed plans to State parliament in October.

In 2007, the Labor Government spent $40 million buying 705ha on Springbrook Mountain to protect the area from development.

The weekend’s massive election swing has also put a cloud over the State Government’s sale of Springbrook Manor which sits on 10ha of prime mountain real estate.

Harcourts sales agent Julie Andrews, who secured two tenders for the property, said she was devastated about results from the election.

“We have to wait and see what happens because a Labor government could potentially cancel the sale, even though we have buyers lined up,” she said.

Springbrook Manor was a significant tourism boon for the mountain until it went bust early last year.

Mr Jackman said stakeholders needed to build more tourism infrastructure to compete with markets in Singapore and Dubai, “because you can’t just sit on your hands and say we have good weather and good beach”.

“Places like Singapore and Dubai are doing some incredible things and we need to be ready to compete with them.

“The Skyride board will meet soon and we will make a decision on whether to progress after we know who is in power. It has been a very interesting six months.”